By Michelle Kruse

You’ve heard the buzz: get more omega-3 . These days, just about anything can be fortified with omega-3. But, how much do you really need and what type? There are different types of omega-3 fatty acids, and while they’re all healthy choices, not all omega-3 fats provide the same benefits to your body. DHA and EPA are omega-3 fats found in fish. DHA and EPA have been found to provide the most benefit to cardiovascular health. DHA and EPA may also play a role in brain health and DHA in particular may benefit fetal development and perinatal health and eye health. Benefits from plant-based omega-3, or ALA (Alpha Linolenic Acid), found in flaxseeds and walnuts, are not as great because the body converts only a small portion of ALA into DHA and EPA. Omega-3 enriched foods often contain small amounts of ALA only.

To read more about the benefits of different omega-3, download our article and get the facts!

By Michelle Kruse

1. Just say “No.” Do only the things you need to do and those you want to do; make sure you have plenty of white space left on your calendar. When you feel stressed or overbooked, ask yourself – “Will this matter five years from now?” If the answer is no, blow it off.

2. Make your sleep a priority. Get seven to eight hours of sleep nightly, or even nine if you need it.

3. Eat meals with your family or friends. Take your time, turn off the TV, have a glass of wine (no, not for breakfast), relax, chat and enjoy the food and the company.

4. When you feel stressed, take a deep breath. Find a quiet spot and just focus on your breathing. Inhale deeply and slowly to the count of 4, hold for 7, and out for 8; repeat for 4 to 8 cycles. In only 2 to 4 minutes you will feel calmer and more relaxed, and your blood pressure and pulse will be lower.

5. Out You Go. Breathe the fresh air, feel the warm sunshine on your face, and exercise for at least 30 minutes daily but preferably more like 45 minutes if you are trying to lose weight.

Click here for more steps to a simpler and more enjoyable life.

By Michelle Kruse

Weston Price, born in 1870, was a man who was way ahead of his time. Dr. Price was a dentist from Cleveland, Ohio who figured out what was the matter with America’s health decades before the average American even knew he or she had a health problem.

Heart disease, like dental problems, became so common during the 20th century that the general public seemed to accept them as part of the inevitable landscape of modern life. Kids needed fillings for cavities, braces for crooked teeth, and wisdom teeth extractions, and sooner or later most people lost their teeth altogether.

Click here to learn more about Dr. Weston Price.

By Michelle Kruse

Mitral Valve Prolapse
Are you a Click Chick?
By Tracy Stevens, M.D., F.A.C.C.

Mitral Valve Prolapse is a common condition affecting one of the four heart valves. The mitral valve has two leaflets that open and close, allowing blood to flow from the upper chamber to the lower chamber on the left side of the heart.

The valve leaflets may be oversized or thickened, causing bowing of the valve when it closes or leakage back into the upper chamber. There are many clinical scenarios in which MVP can be present.

Click here for the full downloadable article.

By Michelle Kruse

Out of Synch? Atrial Fibrillation:
Making Sense of Chaos

Are you troubled by the irregular and fast heart rate that goes along with atrial fibrillation? You are not alone. Atrial fibrillation (afib) is one of the most common problems we see in cardiology today. A recent study showed that about one in four Americans develops atrial fibrillation at sometime during his or her lifetime.
The heart rhythm originates in the atria—the two chambers that are located atop the pumping chambers (the ventricles). The atria act as holding chambers and booster pumps, contracting about one-fifth of a second before the ventricles do.

Atrial fibrillation occurs when the normally synchronized regular rhythm in the atria becomes chaotic, rapid, and irregular, causing the walls of the atria to essentially stand still or quiver, rather than contract effectively. This does not substantially interfere with the function of the main pumps of the heart, though it does predispose the person to other problems.

Click here for the full downloadable form.

By Michelle Kruse

Exercise for Life!

By Becky Captain, R.N., Nurse Practitioner, Preventive Cardiology Clinic

Exercise is your insurance policy. It doesn’t have to cost you any money AND it will give you more time on the clock of life. As an added bonus, exercise will add quality to your life.

Close your eyes and picture yourself 10 years from now with your overweight, tired, low self -esteem body lying on a hospital bed with a heart monitor and a nurse constantly checking your blood pressure, blood sugar and heart rate. Your worried family is by your bedside. Open your eyes. Scary, huh?

Now close your eyes and picture yourself and family on a sandy beach or out in nature with all the energy you never imagined possible due to the reconditioned body you have carved. Feels good. Doesn’t it?
All of us have the ability to change our mindset and choose a different future, or a different past. Becoming fit doesn’t take years—you’ll see the benefit of exercise within a few weeks.

Does the following sound familiar?
You know you’ve got to start exercising and you vow to park the car in the furthest parking space, hit the gym after work, sign up for an exercise class, and take the stairs. But a week passes and before you know it, parking spots are opening up right in front of the stores and buildings, the elevator is already in the lobby and you’ve had an intense week of juggling work, kids and deadlines. How could you have ever thought you could fit in exercise when you have 100 things to do (including your bone density test)? Really, what were you thinking? You still have to organize the sock drawer and Tupperware cabinets too. How can you exercise with those items in such chaos? Been there? Many of us have.

So why does exercise seem so wonderful until we actually have to do it? Lack of motivation? OR is it a misunderstanding that leads us to believe motivation is something that will come to us if we wait long enough…that someday we’ll wake up and finally want to exercise. We must stop living in that fantasy. The reality of motivation—it is something we create—not something we wait for. So, stop waiting for the motivation to come to you—just do it! Make it happen today!

Download this form to learn about the six ways to create your motivation.

By Michelle Kruse

In 2008, according to documents obtained by Sports Illustrated through a Freedom of Information Act request, the FDA received a variety of adverse health event reports from consumers using supplements. The bad reactions range from a man whose heart rate was stuck at 147 beats per minute (p. 39, PDF 1) for two hours after he took a product called Fireball Liquifusion, to a woman who experienced shortness of breath and shaky hands after using an energy and weight loss product that was sold to her out of the back room of a supplement store and that illegally contained ephedrine (p. 41, PDF 1). As noted in the FDA report, “this product appears to be readily available on the Internet.”

By Michelle Kruse

Anyone taking the clot-preventing drug Clopidogrel (Plavix) after receiving a stent in a coronary artery opening procedure should avoid a class of popular heartburn medications called proton pump inhibitors (PPIs). PPIs include medications such as Nexium, Prevacid, Protonix, Aciphex and Prilosec.

The Clopidogrel (Plavix) Medco Outcomes Study was recently presented at the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions annual scientific sessions. The study reported patients taking both Plavix and PPIs experienced a 50% increase in the combined risk of hospitalization for heart attack, stroke, unstable angina (chest pain), or repeat revascularization. A more in depth review demonstrates patients who received a PPI had a 70% increase in the risk of heart attack or unstable angina, 48% increase risk of stroke or stroke-like symptoms and a 35% increase in the need for a repeat coronary procedure. This study followed 16,690 patients taking Plavix for a full year following coronary stenting. The patients in the study were taking PPIs – Protonix, Nexium, Prilosec, and Prevacid for an average of nine months post stenting. This trial did not look at outcomes in patients on newer PPIs such as Aciphex or Kapidex. The experts report that PPIs decrease the efficacy of Plavix secondary to decreased absorption as compared to the population of patients who used Plavix alone.

For patients who receive a stent they are prescribed Plavix to prevent clots from developing. Plavix does increase the risk of bleeding and GI upset; therefore, many providers have routinely given PPIs to patients taking Plavix to prevent gastrointestinal side effects.

The SCAI now suggest providers who are treating post stenting patients on Plavix therapy to consider prescribing histaminergic (H2) blockers such as Zantac or Tagament or antacids instead of a PPIs due to the high risk for adverse events with Plavix and PPI combination as demonstrated in this recent study.

If you are currently taking Plavix and a PPI, I would encourage you to discuss this combination with your health care provider. Perhaps a H2Blocker would be a better treatment for you.

By Michelle Kruse

I’m over my disappointment from the marathon. I spent a week in Phoenix, AZ visiting family and friends and attending a great conference. The ADA subgroup, Sports Cardiovascular and Wellness Nutrition’s annual meeting was great for CardioTabs as well as for me to get some information about my nutritional needs-and hopefully resolve my cramping issues.

Now that the marathon is over, I’m focusing all my efforts on training for Ironman Kansas (70.3). I asked the advice of Sally Brown, RD of Ebodyfuel.com and Heather Fleming (nutritionist with conscious nutrition). Both think it’s possible that I’m not getting enough sodium and that my electrolyte replacement choice wasn’t good enough. I read so many papers about cardiovascular health and heart disease and follow that dietary advice pretty well. My dad had his first heart attack at 40, so salt has been missing from my diet for a LONG time. Since the majority of Americans get too much salt, who’d have thought I’d be getting too little? I’m a very salty sweater and I’m possibly not replacing enough of that salt lost during exercise.

I was told to try a mix of Cytomax and Carbopro for long workouts. I was also told to make sure I was consuming my CardioWhey within 30 minutes post-workout. Yes, even though I work for the company, I wasn’t following the advice perfectly. Doing this should aid in my recovery and help my muscles repair themselves between workouts, even help bolster a weak (post endurance workout) immune system. Yesterday, I biked 30 miles then ran two miles (pushing both kids in the jogging stroller – seriously tough). I used the Cytomax and no cramping yet.

Today’s swim should be a good test of the new formula. On Saturday, I’m planning to bike the 56 mile course for the half Ironman. I’ll use all three products and see what happens.

By Michelle Kruse

Maybe I’m a little too easily disappointed. At least that’s what everyone keeps telling me. I ran my second marathon Saturday and missed my goal by 5 minutes. I took 2nd place in my age group (the benefit of running a smaller race), but I’m still mad about missing my goal. At mile 21, I thought I had it locked. I could run nine and a half minute miles and still finish with a Boston Qualifier (BQ). Easily done, or so I thought. Just into mile 21 was a right turn. I turned and my foot wouldn’t. The dreaded cramp. I had been so good at taking my electrolyte capsules every few miles and getting plenty of water, even eating, so why was I cramping now? I walked it out and started running again, just to cramp some more. I ended up continuing the race in this pattern and missing my goal.

My running partner, who has 29 marathons under her belt, keeps reassuring me that this was a spring marathon and that my expectations should not be high for spring races. She swears if I keep up my training I’ll run a BQ in the fall. (We’re doing the Kansas Ironman 70.3 in June, so another marathon is out of the question until that is over.) Everyone else keeps telling me my time was great and to be happy.

I think I am over it. I’m now focusing on how to get rid of my cramping problem. What am I not doing nutritionally or what am I doing wrong that is causing this? (I am cramping all the time – my feet and hands at night and when I’m writing, etc, not just during races, so something really is amiss. Am I doing something wrong with my recovery, too?) Luckily for me, my job at CardioTabs comes to the rescue. I’m attending the Sports Cardiovascular and Wellness Nutrition subgroup of the American Dietetic Association’s annual meeting this weekend. I’m planning to pick the brains of the real experts in the field. What timing! I’ll post my findings next week.